And then there was one. Out of five American Jewish writers longlisted for this year's Orange Prize, just one has made the shortlist. Octogenarian Cynthia Ozick is the oldest writer to be shortlisted for the prize.

She is on the shortlist of six for her seventh novel, Foreign Bodies.

Described as a "definite contender" by JC literary editor Gerald Jacobs, Ms Ozick is also the bookmakers' favourite to win the prize for her tale about a middle-aged divorcee in the 1950s.

The other books on the shortlist are The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright, Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan, Painter of Silence by Georgina Harding, Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles and State of Wonder by Ann Patchett.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall on May 30, by judges including author Joanna Trollope and broadcaster Natasha Kaplinsky.